Sansevieria plant named ‘SUPSAN1607’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Sansevieria plant named ‘SUPSAN1607’ which is characterized by the combination of a compact and decumbent growth habit, thick succulent foliage with a lanceolate shape and terete cross-section with axial grooves, light yellow-green foliage with prominent green mottled radial bands, and the stability of all characteristics from generation to generation.

Latin name of the genus and species: The Latin name of the genus and species of the novel variety disclosed herein is Sansevieria cylindrica.

Variety denomination:

The inventive variety of Sansevieria disclosed herein has been given the variety denomination ‘SUPSAN1607’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to the Community Plant Variety Rights application number 2016/3019, filed Dec. 1, 2016, which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Parentage: The Sansevieria variety ‘SUPSAN1607’ originated as a seedling selection from the controlled pollination of the proprietary seed parent, Sansevieria cylindrica ‘MXJRM0066’ (not patented), with the proprietary pollen parent, Sansevieria cylindrica ‘MXU1806H66’ (not patented). Both parents were developed by, and are owned by, the inventor and were never commercially released. Said crossing was conducted by the inventor in a small, netted greenhouse in Chonburi, Thailand in January of 2011. Seeds from said cross were harvested, then germinated, and the resulting seedlings were grown to a mature size in order to evaluate for a desirable combination of commercial characteristics. In December of 2012, one candidate plant was observed to exhibit a unique growth habit and leaf coloration. After confirmation of the distinctness and stability of the characteristics first observed, the inventor selected the new Sansevieria cultivar, ‘SUPSAN1607’, for commercial introduction.

Asexual Reproduction: Asexual reproduction of ‘SUPSAN1607’ by way of harvesting vegetative ground shoots was first initiated in December of 2012 at Chonburi, Thailand. Access to all plants was restricted, as plants were kept in a greenhouse not open to the public. Through subsequent propagation of vegetative ground shoots, five generations have been reproduced which have shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘SUPSAN1607’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘SUPSAN1607’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘SUPSAN1607’ as a new and distinct Sansevieria cultivar:

-   -   1. Sansevieria ‘SUPSAN1607’ exhibits a compact, equitant, and         decumbent growth habit; and     -   2. Sansevieria ‘SUPSAN1607’ exhibits a vertically flattened,         fan-shaped plant form; and     -   3. Sansevieria ‘SUPSAN1607’ exhibits thick, succulent foliage         with a lanceolate shape and terete cross-section with axial         grooves; and     -   4. Sansevieria ‘SUPSAN1607’ exhibits light yellow-green foliage         with prominent green mottled radial bands.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, an exemplary plant of ‘SUPSAN1607’ grown in a commercial greenhouse in Chonburi, Thailand. This plant is approximately 12 months old, shown planted in an 8 cm container.

FIG. 2 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the typical foliage of ‘SUPSAN1607’.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following observations and measurements, made in October of 2017, describe averages from a sample set of six specimens of 12 month old ‘SUPSAN1607’ plants grown in 8 cm containers, at a commercial greenhouse in Chonburi, Thailand. The plants were grown using conventional greenhouse production protocols for Sansevieria plants which consisted of overhead irrigation, 50% shade cloth, and no fertilizer. No photoperiodic or chemical treatments were given to the plants.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics will vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. ‘SUPSAN1607’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Where dimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is to be understood that such characteristics are approximations or averages set forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety may differ from the descriptions set forth herein with variations in environmental, climatic and cultural conditions. Color notations are based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, The Royal Horticultural Society, London, 2015 (sixth edition).

A botanical description of ‘SUPSAN1607’ and comparisons with the parents and most similar commercial variety of Sansevieria are provided below.

-   Plant description:     -   -   Growth habit.—Monopodial perennial; equitant; with a             decumbent orientation.         -   Plant form.—Vertically flattened, fan-shaped.         -   Average height.—12.6 cm.         -   Plant spread.—19.9 cm at the narrowest point, and 20.9 cm at             the widest point.         -   Plant vigor.—Moderate.         -   Growth rate.—Moderate.         -   Propagation type.—Division of vegetative ground shoots;             harvesting ground shoots from the mother plant.         -   Propagation details.—The time needed to root a shoot             division is approximately 2 to 3 months with temperatures             ranging from approximately 17 to 40 degrees Celsius.         -   Disease resistance.—Plants have not been observed to be             susceptible or resistant to pathogens and pests common to             Sansevieria.         -   Environmental tolerances.—Adapt to, at least, USDA Zones 10             and 12 and temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius;             moderate tolerance to rain; moderate to high tolerance to             wind. -   Root system:     -   -   General.—Moderately dense and moderately branched rooting;             roots are slightly fibrous.         -   Distribution in the soil profile.—Shallow to moderately             deep.         -   Diameter of roots.—0.15 cm on average.         -   Texture.—Smooth; no root hairs.         -   Color.—Greyed-yellow, nearest to RHS 161C. -   Stem:     -   -   Branching habit.—Monopodial, equitant; decurrent leaf bases             form the stem.         -   Number of primary (main) stems per plant.—One.         -   Number of secondary (lateral) branches per plant.—None.         -   Appearance and shape.—Round; succulent.         -   Length.—The decurrent leaf bases collectively have an             average length of 7.2 cm.         -   Diameter.—The decurrent leaf bases collectively have an             average diameter of 2.1 cm.         -   Internode length.—0.5 cm.         -   Attitude.—At an approximate angle of 50 degrees from             vertical.         -   Texture and luster.—Glabrous and matte.         -   Strength.—Very strong.         -   Color, juvenile.—When developing, the stem is not visible;             decurrent leaf bases form the stem.         -   Color, mature.—Green, nearest to RHS NN137A; leaf scars are             greyed-white, nearest to RHS 156B.         -   Color at the internode.—Green, nearest to RHS NN137A. -   Foliage:     -   -   Arrangement.—Distichous.         -   Attachment.—Decurrent.         -   Division.—Simple.         -   Quantity.—14.         -   Attitude.—Outward; at an average angle of 65 degrees to             vertical; lower leaves at an average angle of negative 65             degrees from vertical.         -   Lamina.—Dimensions — 10.8 cm long and 1.9 cm wide. Thickness             — Approximately 2.5 cm. Shape of blade — Lanceolate in             outline. Cross-section — Terete. Aspect — Nearly straight.             Apex — Acute with a slightly papery tip on older leaves,             which is colored greyed-white, nearest to RHS 156C. Base —             Decurrent. Margin — Leaves are terete so there are no             margins, with the exception of the leaf base; leaf base             margins are entire. Texture of upper surface — Glabrous;             succulent; axially grooved with 9 undeep grooves. Texture of             lower surface — Glabrous; succulent; axially grooved with 9             undeep grooves. Luster of the upper surface — Very slightly             glossy. Luster of the lower surface — Very slightly glossy.             Color — Juvenile foliage, upper surface — Green, nearest to             RHS 138B, with mottled radial bands colored green, nearest             to RHS 139A. Juvenile foliage, lower surface — Nearest to a             mixture of green, RHS 138D, and greyed-green, RHS 193A, with             mottled radial bands colored green, nearest to RHS 143A.             Mature foliage, upper surface — Green, nearest to a mixture             of RHS 138A and 138B, with mottled radial bands colored             green, nearest to RHS 139A; base is green, nearest to RHS             NN137C. Mature foliage, lower surface — Green, nearest to a             mixture of RHS 138A and 138B, with mottled radial bands             colored green, nearest to RHS 139A; base is green, nearest             to RHS NN137C; margins of the decurrent base are a             translucent green-white, nearest to RHS 157B. Venation —             Pattern — Parallel. Color, upper surface — Nearest to a             combination of green, RHS NN137A, and yellow-green, RHS             147A. Color, lower surface — Nearest to a combination of             green, RHS NN137A, and yellow-green, RHS 147A.         -   Petiole.—No petioles present, leaves are decurrent. -   Inflorescence: No flowering has been observed to date.

Comparisons with the Parent Plants

Plants of the new cultivar ‘SUPSAN1607’ differ from the seed parent, Sansevieria cylindrica ‘MXJRM0066’ (not patented), by the characteristics described in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘SUPSAN1607’ ‘MXJRM0066’ Rate of growth. Slower growing than Faster growing than ‘MXJRM0066’. ‘SUPSAN1607’. Growth habit. More compact than Less compact than ‘MXJRM0066’. ‘SUPSAN1607’ Foliage length. Shorter than Longer than ‘MXJRM0066’. ‘SUPSAN1607’. Foliage thickness. Thicker than Thinner than ‘MXJRM0066’. ‘SUPSAN1607’. General coloration of Lighter green. Darker green. the foliage. Occurrence of the color Greater number of green Fewer green mottled pattern on the foliage. mottled radial bands. radial bands.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘SUPSAN1607’ differ from the pollen parent, Sansevieria cylindrica ‘MXU1806H66’ (not patented), by the characteristics described in Table 2.

TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘SUPSAN1607’ ‘MXU1806H66’ Growth habit. More compact than Less compact than ‘MXU1806H66’. ‘SUPSAN1607’. Rate of growth. Faster growing than Slower growing than ‘MXU1806H66’. ‘SUPSAN1607’. Foliage length. Shorter than Longer than ‘MXU1806H66’. ‘SUPSAN1607’. Foliage thickness. Thicker than Thinner than ‘MXU1806H66’. ‘SUPSAN1607’. General coloration Darker green. Lighter green. of the foliage.

Comparison with the Most Similar Sansevieria Cultivar Known to the Inventor

Plants of the new cultivar ‘SUPSAN1607’ are most similar to the commercial cultivar, Sansevieria cylindrica ‘SAN201202’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,457). A comparison of ‘SUPSAN1607’ with ‘SAN201202’ is described in Table 3.

TABLE 3 Characteristic ‘SUPSAN1607’ ‘SAN201202’ Growth habit. More compact than Less compact than ‘SANS201202’. ‘SUPSAN1607’. Foliage shape. Lanceolate; terete. Linear; terete. Foliage length. Shorter than Longer than ‘SANS1202021’. ‘SUPSAN1607’. Foliage thickness. Thicker than Thinner than ‘SAN201202’. ‘SUPSAN1607’. General coloration Darker green. Lighter green. of the foliage. Prominence of leaf More prominent. Less prominent. venation. 

That which is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Sansevieria plant named ‘SUPSAN1607’, substantially as described and illustrated herein. 